Home Loan Applications Are On the Rise

Homebuyers and homeowners saw a rip in the ever-rising interest rate continuum last week and jumped right in. Miami home loan applications are on the rise.

Interest rates fell last week to the lowest level since November, and the seasonally adjusted mortgage volume jumped accordingly, up 7.1 percent, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Still, volume was 16 percent lower than the same week a year ago, when rates were lower.

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances of $424,100 or less decreased to 4.14 percent, from 4.17 percent, with points increasing to 0.34 from 0.32, including the origination fee, for 80 percent loan-to-value ratio loans. As a reference point, mortgage rates jumped from 3.77 percent to 4.16 percent in the two weeks following the election of Donald Trump last November.

Loan applications to purchase a home jumped 10 percent from the previous week, seasonally adjusted, and now stand 5.5 percent higher than one year ago. Purchase volume has been decidedly weak this spring, as home prices overheat due to the tight supply of homes for sale.

The refinance market got a little boost from low rates as well last week, increasing 3 percent. Refinances are extremely rate-sensitive, and rates were below 4 percent last year. Refinance volume remains 34 percent lower than one year ago.

Miami Home Loan Mortgage Applications

Miami is no different. We’re seeing unprecedented sales in the Miami housing market. Despite the increase in housing prices, the Miami housing market remains one of the hottest in the country.

Have you locked in your home loan application yet? What are you waiting for? I help people reach their goals. Have a look at your options with the help of Mario Quintero of STC Loans. Mario has been in the Miami real estate and mortgage business since 2002. His experience is tested and true. Mario has helped thousands of clients reach their home ownership goals,

I’m Mario Quintero, your mortgage & realtor for life. Let me be your Miami home consultant. Our office specializes in both residential and commercial real estate and financing programs. Let me help you secure a conventional, jumbo, FHA and foreign national mortgage loans. Furthermore, we can help your elderly parents secure a comfortable retirement with a reverse mortgage..

Avoiding PMI Without the 20% Down Payment

No PMI Loans

Did you know you don’t have to put 20% down to avoid PMI, or private mortgage insurance? Indeed, you may qualify for no PMI loans, without the 20% down payment.

What is a Conventional loan without PMI?

When you fall short of a 20-percent down payment on a conventional mortgage loant, you must pay for private mortgage insurance, or PMI. Although you can’t avoid the coverage which protects your lender in case you default, you can prevent monthly payments. Some conventional lenders offer alternative methods of paying PMI premiums to help keep your monthly payments low. You may also eventually qualify to cancel PMI, with your lender’s permission.

Conventional loans offer better interest rates and repayment terms in comparison to government-backed loans. Conventional financing requires good credit and a healthy debt-to-income load. If you lack this criteria, which is set by Fannie Mae, you can turn to financing backed by the Federal Housing Administration or the Department of Veterans Affairs, provided you are an eligible veteran. You can also opt for a conventional loan with PMI. Typically, you pay the annual PMI premium in monthly installments, along with the mortgage payment.

You can forgo monthly PMI installments by increasing your conventional loan’s interest rate. Known as lender-paid PMI, the lender covers the PMI premium for you and passes the cost onto you by increasing your interest rate. Your rate generally increases by three-quarters of a percentage point to a full percent, according to Realtor.com. Because you keep the increased interest rate for the duration of your loan, you can ultimately end up paying more over the life of your loan with lender-paid PMI.

I help people reach their goals. Whether you want to buy for the first time, refinance your existing loan, purchase an investment property, or sell your home, TODAY is your moment. Have a look at your options with the help of Mario Quintero of STC Loans.Mario has been in the Miami real estate and mortgage business since 2002. His experience is tested and true. Mario has helped thousands of clients reach their home ownership goals,

I’m Mario Quintero, your mortgage & realtor for life. Let me be your Miami home consultant. Our office specializes in both residential and commercial real estate and financing programs. Let me help you secure a conventional, jumbo, FHA and foreign national mortgage loans. Furthermore, we can help your elderly parents secure a comfortable retirement with a reverse mortgage..

A Miami Conventional Loan

Like when shopping for your dream home can be a bit overwhelming and challenging, you can say the same when entering into the financing of your new home. Many homeowners become overwhelmed when faced with having to secure financing for their new home purchase. Add to this, contractual time limits causing you to secure your financing quickly. In most cases, the type of loan you’ll need to secure is a Miami conventional loan.

According to wikipedia, “In the United States, a conventional mortgage home loan is a home mortgage loan that conforms to GSE (Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac) guidelines. The most well-known guideline is the size of the loan, which as of 2013 was generally limited to $417,000 for single family homes in the continental US. Other guidelines include borrower’s loan-to-value ratio (i.e. the size of down payment), debt-to-income ratio, credit score and history, documentation requirements, etc.”

Eligibility

In order to qualify for a conventional loan, borrowers must typically meet three minimum requirements:

Down Payment

The standard down payment for a Miami conventional loan is anywhere between 5% and 25% of a home’s value depending on the borrower’s credit and financial condition. For example, if the property you are trying to secure costs $100,000, the lender may want you to place a 20% or $20,000 down payment. Buyers with stronger credit are usually able to place as little as 5% down in order to secure their home’s financing.

Income

Lenders want to make certain your debt-to-income ratio, or the percentage of monthly income you spend on debt payments, including mortgages, student loans, auto loans, minimum credit card payments and child support, will leave you at a comfortable level, not overextending yourself.

Credit/FICO Score

Your credit score also plays an important role as you qualify for a conventional loan. Lenders vary on the minimum FICO credit score requirement. This is not standard in the industry. However, remember, the higher your credit score, the better the terms you will receive on your Miami conventional loan. In this case, too, the stronger your initial down payment, the better your lending terms will be.

Why Work with Mario Quintero

Buying a home isn’t just a matter of finding the right house. Negotiating and reaching a workable price level work hand in hand. You must secure mortgage financing to purchase your dream home. Because of this, as a trusted Miami realtor and efficient Miami mortgage broker, Mario will help your dream home become a reality.

Mario Quintero, principal of Strock and Tanner Mortgage, gets your deal done. Let me be both your trusted Miami realtor and Miami mortgage broker. Don’t attempt to negotiate on the purchase of your home on your own. Mario helps you reach the best price through his extensive negotiating skills.

Get in Touch with Mario

I’m Mario Quintero, your mortgage & realtor for life. Let me be your Miami home consultant. Our office specializes in both residential and commercial real estate and financing programs. Let me help you secure a conventional, jumbo, FHA and foreign national mortgage loans. Furthermore, we can help your elderly parents secure a comfortable retirement with a reverse mortgage.

Miami Home Sales are off the charts, too! Are you still on the fence about buying that next Miami property? What are you waiting for? Miami home sales continue to outperform the rest of the country.

Pending home sales hit second highest point in decade in the USA! Pending home sales increased in July led by high gains in the West, which hit its highest month in more than three years. There is, however, still room for more growth. There’s little doubt there’d be more sales activity right now if there were more affordable listings on the market.

Pending home sales increased in July up to the highest reading in over a decade, according to the latest report from the National Association of Realtors. And Miami home sales, though not leading the pack this month, have certainly continued to outperform the national average.

While the West led the way with its increase in pending home sales, the Midwest was the only area to see a decrease in contract activity, according to the report. “The index in the West last month was the highest in over three years largely because of stronger labor market conditions,” NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said.

“If homebuilding increases in the region to tame price growth and alleviate the ongoing affordability concerns, the healthy rate of job gains should support more sales,” Yun said.

The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings, rose 1.3% to 111.3 in July, representing the second highest point this year. It is up from a downwardly revised 109.9 in June, and up 1.4% from last year’s 109.8.

An index of 100 is equal to the average level of contract activity during 2001, the first year to be analyzed. Coincidentally, 2001 was the first of four consecutive record years for existing-home sales.

“Amidst tight inventory conditions that have lingered the entire summer, contract activity last month was able to pick up at least modestly in a majority of areas,” Yun said. “More home shoppers having success is good news for the housing market heading into the fall, but buyers still have few choices and little time before deciding to make an offer on a home available for sale.”

“There’s little doubt there’d be more sales activity right now if there were more affordable listings on the market,” he said.

Residential construction data shows that the size and costs of new homes moved downward over the past year, the report said. This is an early indication that homebuilders are beginning to shift away from building larger, more expensive homes in order to focus on properties in the middle and lower price ranges.

“Realtors in several high-cost areas have been saying for quite a while that there is robust demand for single-family starter homes and townhomes at an affordable price point for young buyers,” Yun said. “The homeownership rate won’t move up from its over 50-year low without a meaningful boost from first-time buyers, whose participation has yet to noticeably increase so far this year despite mortgage rates near all-time lows.”

In fact, homebuilder confidence increased in August as new construction and new home sales increase, according to the Housing Market Index by the National Association of Home Builders and Wells Fargo.

According to the latest estimates released jointly by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, new home sales soared in July.

“Single-family starts are still growing at double-digit rates,” Trulia Chief Economist Ralph McLaughlin said in response to the new home sales report. “Supply-constrained homebuyers should rest assured that relief is on the way.”

Are you interested in learning more about Miami home sales? I’m Mario Quintero, your mortgage & realtor for life. Let me be your Miami, Florida home consultant. Our office specializes in both residential and commercial real estate and financing programs. We help you secure conventional, jumbo, FHA and foreign national mortgage loans. We can also help your elderly parents secure a comfortable retirement with a reverse mortgage. Call me today at 305-598-1600.

Just yesterday the Fed announced they may very well still raise interest rates in one or both of their remaining meetings this year.

What does this tell us? Historically, it’s the absolute best time to refinance your home. Never in history have interest rates been this low and attractive. Think what you can do with the money you would be saving? At the end of the day, you could practice good ol’ American consumerism by injecting your savings back into the economy. It’s what Americans are known to do…

At Strock and Tanner Mortgage, we specialize in all types of home loans, mortgages, refinances and reverse mortgages. We have experience in all ends of the real estate market, from realtors, to loan officers, to in-house servicing. We can handle all your home purchase and financing needs.

If you’re in the market to purchase a new home, refinance and existing property, obtain a reverse mortgage on the equity in your home, your seniors parents home, or a friend or family member, call us at Strock and Tanner Mortgage to help you convert your dreams into reality.

Want to see stories of satisfied clients? Have a look at our album of successful closings here. It’s our business to make your real estate goals into reality. We are licensed in the entire state of Florida and can help you regardless of your location. Join thousands of satisfied clients.

I’m Mario Quintero, your mortgage & realtor for life. Let me be your Miami, Florida home consultant. Strock and Tanner Loans specializes in both residential and commercial real estate and financing programs. We help you secure conventional, jumbo, FHA and foreign national mortgage loans. We can also help your elderly parents secure a comfortable retirement with a reverse mortgage. Call me today at 305-598-1600.

Reverse mortgages are used today as a financial vehicle for many seniors in retirement. In the past, this was frowned upon, as a reverse mortgages was considered an insecure, unstable financial instrument. Today, however, this instrument has become very popular to helping seniors be more comfortable financially in retirement.

Many options are available with reverse mortgages today. There is the traditional reverse mortgage, where seniors may use the equity built in their homes as a vehicle to finance their retirement. There’s the HECM Reverse Mortgage, which is a vehicle used where seniors are allowed to take the equity in their homes and purchase another property with the proceeds. In other words, it’s a reverse mortgage for purchase. There’s a jumbo reverse mortgage where your property is above the $417,000 conventional level, classifying as a traditional jumbo property.

All above-mentioned vehicles, are strategic tools seniors may use in retirement in order to be able to finance their retirement. No risk is attached to a reverse mortgage. A retired individual, and their spouse, may live comfortably in their home while accessing the equity in their homes while in retirement.

Regardless of which type of reverse mortgage is chosen, certain conditions remain the same with which the retiree has to comply. Among these, of primary importance is that the retiree applicant be 62 years of age.

If you are interested in a reverse mortgage for yourself or your elderly parent, have a look at our online brochure here, where you can learn more about the facts surrounding reverse mortgages.

I’m Mario Quintero, your mortgage & realtor for life. Let me be your Miami, Florida home consultant. Strock and Tanner Loans specializes in both residential and commercial real estate and financing programs. We help you secure conventional, jumbo, FHA and foreign national mortgage loans. We can also help your elderly parents secure a comfortable retirement with a reverse mortgage. Call me today at 305-598-1600.

These numbers are unheard of post the Great Financial Recession of 2009. If you have not yet acted, NOW is the time to purchase or refinance your home in order to lock-in these low rates before they increase.

As you very well, the Fed’s actions are unpredictable from meeting to meeting, so home interest rates could very well rise at any time without prior notice.

The Miami housing market continues to sizzle despite other major metropolitan home areas nationwide showing signs of slowing. We are not only fueled by locals interested in buying, selling and refinancing, but we have a large tourist population making Miami a second home. Our international foreign buyer base is also strong seeking a secure harbor to park their capital given uncertainty in other global markets.

I’m Mario Quintero, your mortgage & realtor for life. Let me be your Miami, Florida home consultant. Our office specializes in both residential and commercial real estate and financing programs. We help you secure conventional, jumbo, FHA and foreign national mortgage loans. We can also help your elderly parents secure a comfortable retirement with a reverse mortgage. Call me today at 305-598-1600.

We now have a new conventional loan program up to $417,000 featuring a 1 % down payment! To qualify you need a 700+ FICO credit score, Maximum debt to income ratio of 43%.
Great low rates, and is available with no monthly Mortgage Insurance. Call me for details.

I’m Mario Quintero, your mortgage & realtor for life. Let me be your Miami, Florida home consultant. Our office specializes in both residential and commercial real estate and financing programs. We help you secure conventional, jumbo, FHA and foreign national mortgage loans. We can also help your elderly parents secure a comfortable retirement with a reverse mortgage. Call me today at 305-598-1600.

As we learned with the Brexit vote of a week ago, global events have a huge impact on domestic events here at home, including interest rates. In this case, the Brexit vote for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union has caused US interest rates to reach an all-time low.

Not only did the Dow Jones Industrial Average and other indices drop dramatically for several days in a row, all the financial commotion overseas really has created the perfect opportunity to take advantage of not only lower stock prices, but to purchase or refinance your home.

Opportunities like this do not come by often. Time after time again, after financial turmoil over the decades, the best opportunities arise in moments of fear. Why not let someone else’s fear become your financial opportunity? Those who have taken advantage of such opportunities in the past, have benefitted from great growth and rewards going forward in to the future.

Want to take advantage of a real estate opportunity here in South Florida?

I’m Mario Quintero, your mortgage & realtor for life. Let me be your Miami, Florida home consultant. Our office specializes in both residential and commercial real estate and financing programs. We help you secure conventional, jumbo, FHA and foreign national mortgage loans. We can also help your elderly parents secure a comfortable retirement with a reverse mortgage. Call me today at 305-598-1600.

One of the key elements of my listing marketing plan is to have a full appraisal done on the property. This process gives my clients more confidence in the pricing of their home.

In addition when we go into contract and the buyers schedule there appraisal for the loan they are securing I attend the actual appraisal that is being done. At the time of appraisal realtors are permitted
to hand the appraiser comps they feel that should be considered in the process. At this time I hand the appraiser the original appraisal that was conducted which contain the actual comps for the area. I find this practice to be very effective and the appraiser is actually getting a second professional opinion in completing the final report.

I’m Mario Quintero, your mortgage & realtor for life. Let me be your Miami, Florida home consultant. Our office specializes in both residential and commercial real estate and financing programs. We help you secure conventional, jumbo, FHA and foreign national mortgage loans. We can also help your elderly parents secure a comfortable retirement with a reverse mortgage. Call me today at 305-598-1600.